Difference between soaps and detergents ?

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Solution

Soaps
Detergents
1.
Soaps are the sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids
Detergents are sodium salts of long chain benzene sulphonic acids
2.
The ionic group in soaps is –COO^-Na⁺ The ionic group in soaps is SO₃ ^-Na⁺ or SO₄ ^-Na⁺
3.
Soaps are not useful when water is hard
Detergents can be used for washing purposes even when water is hard
4.
Soaps are biodegradable
Some of the detergents are non-biodegradable
5.
Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action
Detergents have a strong cleansing action

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	Soaps	Detergents
1.	Soaps are the sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids	Detergents are sodium salts of long chain benzene sulphonic acids
2.	The ionic group in soaps is –COO^-Na⁺	The ionic group in soaps is SO₃ ^-Na⁺ or SO₄ ^-Na⁺
3.	Soaps are not useful when water is hard	Detergents can be used for washing purposes even when water is hard
4.	Soaps are biodegradable	Some of the detergents are non-biodegradable
5.	Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action	Detergents have a strong cleansing action